Getting ready to take the plunge....just how deep is the question!

Looking at getting our first TT. Have been scoping out the North Trail 21RBS, 24RBS, and 27RBS. Probably dreaming on the 27RBS as we only have a 2010 F150, 4.6L 3V and I am concenred about the power to pull....and stop!!! Wife is concerned about the length as she often will go alone to dog trials and is a bit shy about her abilities. Any comments, pointers, on what to do are appreciated.

Brien and Terri

Sandia_Storm said:

Looking at getting our first TT. Have been scoping out the North Trail 21RBS, 24RBS, and 27RBS. Probably dreaming on the 27RBS as we only have a 2010 F150, 4.6L 3V and I am concenred about the power to pull....and stop!!! Wife is concerned about the length as she often will go alone to dog trials and is a bit shy about her abilities. Any comments, pointers, on what to do are appreciated.

Brien and Terri

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My first suggestion is to get real intimate with the towing capacities of that "truck." I'd be very concerned about getting anywhere near it's limits. Once you do find something small enough for it to handle, have the wife practice with it in empty parking lots, primarily backing and turning (anybody can tow in a straight line forward), using cones or boxes or whatever "soft" as markers. Once she's good with that, get out on the roads during low traffic periods so she can get the feel for stopping the rig at normal speeds.

I think the general premise regarding braking is that if working correctly, trailer brakes should provide enough stopping power to cover the trailer's weight. So assuming your truck brakes are also working correctly, stopping shouldn't be a problem. BUT, if the trailer's vertical load on the hitch is too much for the truck, it might compromise the truck's stopping power, or stability in an hard stop situation.

Hi Sandia-Storm,'

Just want to welcome you to the Heartland Owners Forum and hopefully to the family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

I'll go along with Dan and John about your truck size.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M

BTW, we are in GW and son lives between Mathis & Sandia.

FWIW I towed my North Trail 26LRSS on one trip (800 miles) in the Texas hill country with my 2010 4.6 3V Super Crew cab F150 and then before the next trip I traded for an F250 6.7L. From a safety and towing standpoint as long as you have a correctly installed WD Hitch it performed and braked just fine. I just got tired of watching the tac going to 5 plus k on moderate hills and I especially did not like the gas consumption. 8 to 11 mpg dependent on the terrain and wind.

I also used the F150 to tow my Edge M21 and with that lighter trailer it worked just fine and gas consumption was more like 10 to 13 MPG. You almost had to remember that the trailer was there it towed so nicely so maybe the smaller ones are the way to go. I don't imagine there is a whole lot of difference weight-wise between the old Edge M21 and the NT 21RBS.

Sandia_Storm said:

Looking at getting our first TT. Have been scoping out the North Trail 21RBS, 24RBS, and 27RBS. Probably dreaming on the 27RBS as we only have a 2010 F150, 4.6L 3V and I am concenred about the power to pull....and stop!!! Wife is concerned about the length as she often will go alone to dog trials and is a bit shy about her abilities. Any comments, pointers, on what to do are appreciated.

Brien and Terri

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The 22FBS might be a good choice too. It's about 500 lbs lighter, has a bigger counter space and a couch too. We love ours. No matter what size the TV might be, if you have a travel trailer you need a WD hitch and sway control. Only an idiot would pull without these.

Thanks for the comments and Jim M if you ever go into Smoliks when you visit Mathis then I have probably been sitting close by! WD hitch and sway control are part of the package on either model we choose. We have used the same truck but 2008 model to pull a stock trailer weighing about 5500 lbs with animals on board once and that was without WD and sway control and it was hard on the gas (9-10 MPG) and the hills were a high engine revolution good time. Oh, did I mention that it was my wife who drove to Alabama on that trip with a friend. So I know she can handle the road...that trailer was only 16' feet though and going to over 30 feet overall is what has her concerned.

I am hoping that the WD and sway and a well balanced rig will be a lot less effort in the control department. I did follow a rule of thumb I read about which was to take 25% of the tow weight rating of 9400 to obtained a weight not to exceed of 7050 lbs. All North Trails are GWVR of 6900 so I am under that...I imagine Ford's idea of 9400 lbs is you can tow it but don't go fast or far . The F-150 rating GCWR is 14,900 and if I fully maxed out TV (6900) and TT (6900) that would be 13,800 so I am under that and as I have no intention of maxing them out that weight will be lower and probably more like 13,000 or slighlty lower with the 27RBS. So, if correctly balanced, loaded, and all is right with the world it should work with the 27RBS but why do I feel like "Murphy's Law" is going to apply here.....new owner jitters and probably looking at more than I should....too bad you can't borrow the TT for a week. Thanks again folks and hoping to see you on the road soon.

Brien

We tow a Prowler 27P RBS rated at 9000 GVW with a Ford F-150 5.4L 3V rated to tow 10,000lbs. The Ford stops and goes well towing at 11 mpg. The 6 speed Tow/Haul transmission works well in maintaining speed without downshifting. Having towed at the max with a Tundra, the gas will flow and stopping is an issue. I replaced the front brakes each of the four years that I towed with it. We average around 12 K towing each winter. Get a bigger truck of a lighter trailer. You'll enjoy the experience.
Safe Travels!
Ted

OK. We are in! Take delivery of 27' RBS next week......and away we go!

Sandia_Storm said:

OK. We are in! Take delivery of 27' RBS next week......and away we go!

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Awesome and Congratulations!!!! You'll have some great trips in that unit!